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Panier
Cost: Goûter box ($30/month), Luxe Box ($125/month) and Terrior Box ($85/month)
Ships To: United States (Free) & Canada (Add $6 shipping).
Coupon Code: “NEWYEAR” to save $10 off your first box. Expires on 1.31.15.
Panier, who kindly sent me this box to review, is a box subscription dedicated to foodies. Every month, you will discover new French flavors from your “Panier-box”. You will discover what makes each region of France so special through their gastronomy, culture, landscapes and recipes. You can opt for the Goûter box ($30/month), which contains a mix of French salty and sweet crackers, cookies, candies from different regions of France, the Luxe Box ($125/month) which features 6 to 8 full size items including some products categorized in the “high end” group for your taste palate from a different region each month or the Terrior Box ($85/month) which includes 5 to 6 full size items full of delicious French regional specialties. My review is of the “Luxe” box.
Panier ships via FedEx Ground on the 3rd weekend of the month.
If you order by the 10th of the month you will receive that month’s box. Orders placed after the 10th will ship the following month.
Isn’t this Panier box cool? It’s got a drawstring handle and kind of reminded me of a picnic basket.
The first look didn’t tell me much, but everything was packed very nicely and everything arrived unharmed. Also, this box was heavy! Super heavy.
The December 2014 Panier box featured the Alsace-Lorraine, North East region of France. The book included a little information on the area including cultural information, cities in the region, etc.
Happily Panier includes a product information card. I think it’s a must with boxes of this nature because I’ll tell you, I don’t always know what all of these items are! Here is what was included:
~Duck Liver w/ 2% Black Truffle: Granted I haven’t eaten a lot of Duck Foie Gras in my day, but I can’t say it’s a favorite. I was a little confused on this one when I saw that it was a “Product of Canada”, but the information card explains that because it has meat ingredients it must be made in either US or Canada due to FDA regulations. They answered my question before I could even ask it!
~Apple with Caramel & Gingerbread Chutney: This is meant to accompany your Foie Gras. You serve it on top of it on toast. That sounds better than just having the foie gras alone.
~Bergamot Candies: I couldn’t even imagine what a bergamot candy would taste like, so I had to try it. It’s kind of odd. It seems like it’s something that would take a lot of getting used to ;).
~Nonnettes: I would call these doughnuts, but nonnettes sounds much fancier! They are small spiced cakes with a fruit jam filling. So I guess they aren’t exactly doughnut like. Close though.
~Cherry Griottines: B is super fascinated with these. They are half-preserved cherries which are macerated in brandy. They are idea for hot or cold desserts or in an after-dinner drink. I think B will be looking up some drink recipes for these.
~Mirabelle Plum Jam:Mirabelle is a speciality of the French region of Lorraine. It’s a small golden plum and is often used in jams and tarts.
~Duck & Pork Pate w/ Orange: This is described in the information card as a staple on French dinner tables. It’s comparable to having mashed potatoes or cranberry sauce on US tables.
~Bretzel: Now pretzels I can handle! They are sprinkled with sea salt and they recommend having them with beer. I think that’s a recommendation that those in the US and France and most of the world could agree on.
I didn’t do a cost breakdown on this box, but I would for sure describe it as a splurge box! If you are interested in trying French foods and learning more about French cultures, this is one to check out. I am going to pass along most of these items to my old high-school French teacher to share with her students. I remember trying foods like some of these in French class and it was always fun!
If you are interested in subscribing to Panier or just want to learn more, you can head over to their site and check them out. New subscribers can also use the coupon code “NEWYEAR” to save $10 off your first box!
